Heated race to replace UK PM Johnson sees nine candidates

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
10 Jul 2022 19:41
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UK Tory leader race expands to nine, with an early focus on tax.

The Palace of Westminster in London (Archive)

On Sunday, five more candidates declared their intention to run to replace British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, raising the total number to nine, with many promising lower taxes and a fresh start after Johnson's scandal-plagued premiership.

Johnson announced his resignation as Prime Minister on Thursday, following a revolt among lawmakers and cabinet colleagues over his handling of a series of scandals, including breaches of lockdown rules in gatherings at his Downing Street office.

He stated that he would remain in office until a new leader was elected.

According to a member of a Conservative Party committee that sets the rules for leadership elections, the final result will be announced in September.

Penny Mordaunt, junior trade minister, officially declared her candidacy for the leadership on Sunday, joining transport Secretary Grant Shapps, finance minister Nadhim Zahawi, and former ministers Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid, who announced their candidacies in time for Sunday newspapers, bringing the total to nine.

See more: Reuters: Who can replace Boris Johnson if ousted?

"This is a critical inflection point for our country. I believe that a socialist or socialist-led coalition government at the next election would be a disaster for the UK," Mordaunt said in a statement.

"We must win the next election," he stressed.

Following a meeting on Monday, the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee of legislators, which sets the party's rules in parliament, will announce the exact timetable.

According to Bob Blackman, an officer on the executive committee of the 1922 Committee, nominations will close on Tuesday evening, followed by a process to narrow candidates down to a final two by July 21.

Over the summer, party members would elect a new party leader, who would then become Prime Minister.

It is worth noting that Shapps, Zahawi, Hunt, and Javid all pledged tax cuts when they entered the race, pitting them against the current favorite, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, whose budget last year set Britain on course for its highest tax burden since the 1950s.